Time (ON HOLD)
by Sboyle92
Summary: Toni Stark is a billionaire, philanthropist, genius playgirl, known for her partying and not so sophistacated lifestyle. But what if she had had a best friend before this started? A best friend that had gone missing a few weeks after the deaths of her family and has been presumed dead for 6 years? What if, when he comes home, she is... (SUMMARY CONTINUED INSIDE)
1. Chapter 1

**Iron Man + Batman Crossover**

Toni Stark is a billionaire, philanthropist, genius playgirl, known for her partying and not so sophistacated lifestyle. But what if she had had a best friend before this started? A best friend that had gone missing a few weeks after the deaths of her family and has been presumed dead for 6 years? What if, when he comes home, she is gone and trapped in her own personal hell and comes out a changed woman? Will these two best friends ever find their ways back to each other and confess their biggest secrets to each other before time runs out?

 **Time**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own either Marvel or DC… If I did, I would be rich and would probably make some of the fanfic stories I've read into like a miniseries on Netflix where each episode would be a different fanfic from either Marvel or DC… there is a million dollar idea lol.

 **Chapter One**

"Mom, I don't understand why I can't stay here!" the six year old boy exclaimed to his mother as he followed his parents out to the waiting car.

"Bruce, we've told you this a thousand times. The Starks have invited your father and I over to go over some new contracts the government would like us to sign. And besides, you can't stay here by yourself, since we've given the staff the week off and since Alfred is coming with us." His mother said, helping him into his seat in the back of the car before joining her son and husband in the back as Alfred began to drive them to their private airfield.

"But it's going to be so boring!" Bruce complained, fiddling with the new Transformers toy his father had brought home a few nights before for him.

"That's not true. Maria and Howard have a six year old daughter that I'm sure you can play with while the four of us are busy. And besides, Alfred and the Starks' butler Jarvis will be there if you two will need anything." His mother said.

Bruce grimaced. "Ugh. Girl cooties."

He didn't notice it but Martha, his mother, and Thomas, his father, exchanged amused looks at his words. Neither of them could deny the fact that they thought young Stark heiress and their own son would develop a friendship that would survive through anything.

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"Ah, Martha! Thomas! Welcome! Come in, come in," the woman said, ushering the two in, completely ignoring Bruce and Alfred whom had been standing to the side of the adult Waynes. "Please, make yourselves at home."

Bruce and Alfred were gestured inside by a man whom looked just as old as Alfred and whom had a young girl standing in his shadow peeking out at the newcomers in her home.

Her father came around the corner and although he smiled abesntly as Bruce and Alfred, he glared slightly at the little girl peeking out at him behind his butler.

"Jarvis, I thought I had said that she was supposed to stay in her room while our guests were visiting." Although he had spoken quietly, his voice had carried and had caught the attention of Thomas whom had heard of how Howard treated his daughter and stepped in quickly before something befell the young girl.

"I asked for Jarvis to bring her out to greet my son, Bruce, when he answered the door and before Maria came to greet us. I'm sorry if that was a little too forward of me, but Maria did tell us to make ourselves at home, did she not, dear?" Thomas asked over his shoulder as he came to just in front of Howard, blocking his view of his son and Howard's daughter whom had begun to slowly slip away from the escalating conversation in front of her.

Martha began to nod and put a small but fake smile on her face. "Why, yes, I believe that was said. Now, Toni, dear, why don't you and Jarvis show Bruce and Alfred your room and play together?"

Toni froze as all eyes landed on her, two sets of those glaring at her, which then caused her to beam sunnily but falsely at the young couple in front of her. "Yes, ma'am. Come on, Mr. Alfred, Mr. Wayne, you can follow Jarvis and I while our parents discuss their business prospects and political views."

Bruce and Alfred said nothing as they followed the other butler and his young charge down the hall and away from the polite, subtle arguing voices behind them.

They came to a door that was closed but before they entered, Jarvis stopped and spoke. "Miss Stark, Mister Wayne, I shall return in a few minutes with a small snack to tide us over until dinner. Mr Pennyworth, would you like to join me?"

"I would love to. Lead the way." Alfred said. The two british elderly butlers walked down the hall and towards the ktichen. The two six year olds exchanged glacnes, shrugged, and Toni opened her room to reveal blueprints and inventions spread across every surface of her room with a telescope sticking out of her window and with posters involving biology, chemistry, and calculus, the room was practically a nerd haven.

Toni had immediately walked over to her desk and picked up a screwdriver there and began to fiddle with something in front of her.

Curious, Bruce drew forward and peeked over her shoulder to see Toni had begun to attach the last leg to a large robotic dog.

"That's cool!" Bruce said softly, not wanting to speek too loud and disrupt her concentration.

Toni wasn't bothered thought and sent him a small smile over her shoulder.

"Thanks! This is my robot dog and my best one I've built as he has been uploaded with real dog guard tendencies and movements. He doesn't shed, bark, or need basic needs to survive." Toni said to him, picking up the heavy robotic dog from her desk and setting it down on the ground on it's legs. "It is also voice controlled."

"Really?"

"Realy."

"Show me."

Toni cleared her voice and spoke clearly. "Maximus the III, you are hearby to protect Bruce Wayne to your upmost ability and those that he deems his family. You are to follow his commands as if they were my own. Bark twice if commands are understood."

The robotic dog barked twice just as the door opened after a quiet knock and revealing Jarvis and Alfred, the former holding a tray of snacks for them all.

"Alfred! Look at what Toni gave me!" Bruce exclaimed, running up to his butler and taking his hand, turning to pull Alfred with him only to stop short as the robotic dog had followed his footsteps and now was just standing there with eyes that glowed blue and watching Alfred around his new charge.

"Maximus the III, this is Alfred, this is Bruce's butler and caretaker, he means Bruce no harm." Toni commanded. She turned her attention to the Gotham visitors. "If you speak and declare whom you are, and repeat those commands with your parents, Maximus the III will protect you with the best his processors allow him."

Bruce and Alfred then proceeded to introduce themselves to their new addition to the Wayne household. But Alfred had a question to ask the young Stark heiress. "Miss Stark, how is Maximus the III supposed to protect the Masters?"

"Well, for one, Maximus is able to call 911 if it is needed in order to call the police during any type of emergency. And two, he has his own weapons system that aims to harm, not kill, the attackers/intruders unless aboslutely necessary."

Alfred's eyes widened slightly at her words and he examined the robot dog more closely and saw that there could possibly be weapons in this robot that Toni had armed it with.

"Well, then, Miss Stark, if Mr and Mrs Wayne have no problem with us taking him home with us, then we shall be honored to have Maximus the III apart of our household."

And that day as Toni Stark and Bruce Wayne grinned at each other over the excitement of having a friend that treated them like they were just Toni and Bruce, not children of two of the most richest families in the world. And they knew that their friendship would be one to last through anything… But not even they could have foretold what would happen in the many years to come.

That day was the day that Bruce Wayne aka Batman and Toni Stark aka Iron Woman would have their lives tied together with the string of Fate.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Antoniette! Get your a** down here this instant! We're going to be late for the funeral!" Howard growled as he and his wife stood by the penthouse hotelsuite, waiting for their daughter and Jarvis.

"Coming, sir." Toni came down the stairs in a black dress and with black flats and with her hair pinned up. Howard scowled at his daughter.

"It's about time. We're almost running late. It begins at 9!" Maria said, taking her husband's offered arm, grabbing her black clutch, and striding out the door, their daughter and butler following.

Toni couldn't help but sneak a glance at the wall clock above the door. It had just turned 8 o'clock and they were only ten minutes away from Wayne Manor, where Martha and Thomas Wayne were being buried.

They were the only ones in the private elevator and it was completely silent until Howard spoke.

"You better not embarass me in front of the Wayne Enterprises Board and Mr Earle. I need this deal that Thomas and I negotiated two years ago to be renewed and I will not have it compromised because of your stupidity. Is that understood, Antoniette?"

Toni didn't even glance at her father. "Yes, sir, I understand."

Howard nodded, satisfied that his daughter wasn't going to make a fool out of him that day. "Good."

They exited the elevator and into the limo that had been given to them to use during their time in Gotham and then they were driving off to Wayne Manor.

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 _Two and a half hours later_

The Starks had sat behind the young boy and his butler, as they were considered close family friends towards the Waynes. That wasn't neccessarily true as only one Stark had ever had the friendship and love from the Wayne family that all around them thought they shared and that was between the two heirs.

They began a long walk outside, following the caskets being carried on the shoulders of men that had known and worked with Thomas and Martha over the years.

As they gathered around the caskets next to two dug out graves, the priest just waiting for people to pay their final repects before he would have some men lower the caskets into their respective graves and cover them with fresh soil.

The young boy stood next to his elderly butler, staring straight ahead and showing no emotions on his face as his parents were put to rest, leaving him alone for forever.

But he wasn't alone as that little girl stood beside him and slowly reached out her hand and clasped his cold and clamy one in her own. The little boy shot a glance at the little girl only to see her staring at the graves of two people whom she had looked up to, and whom she knew she would have done anything to have them as parents, and she had had them as parents, however short that time had been.

The eight year old boy's hand that had been loose in the eight year old girl's suddenly tightened as dirt began to cover his parents' caskets, and as the tears he had been holding back throughout this dream… this nightmare that he couldn't wake up from, began to flow down his face, the girl's hand only tightened in return. She became his rock in his time of need, as he would become her's in just a few years time.

Time was a funny thing. Humans all thought they had all of the time in the world with their loved ones, with their ways of life, but as we all know, time catches up with us, and may change us for the better or for the worse… No being controls time, not even those that wield the Time Infinity Stone can control it forever, as with ever action there is a reaction, a price to be paid.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Master Wayne? Are you awake?" Alfred called as he opened the bedroom door into his Master's part of the hotel suite they were staying while in Malibu.

Master Wayne, whom was an eighteen year old Bruce Wayne, groaned and hid his face under the pillows. Alfred sighed and moved over to the windows and opened them wide, letting the sunshine shine through and landing perfectly onto the occupied bed.

"Master Wayne, I've let you sleep in an extra thirty minutes but Mr and Mrs Stark's funerals begin at 10 and it is already 8. You still have to shower to get rid of that stench and to eat something so you won't pass out today from either being hungover or not eating."

Bruce had still yet to move and Alfred then decided to use his one big weapon in his arsenal that he always knew would work on Master Bruce. "Miss Stark really needs you today, Master Bruce and I don't think she needs you in this condintion when I'm sure she'll be in a state during all of this… now will you please get up?"

With another groan, Bruce rolled over and sat up, his feet on the ground as he bent his head to try and stop the pounding in his head.

"Alright, alright, I'm up… And it's only for Toni I'm even getting up this early with this much of a hangover… Now I need the Cure aka a large order of McDonald's french fries with extra salt and a large coke. And while that is being ordered and brought here, yes, Alfred, I will shower and get ready to leave."

Alfred nodded, pleased that his charge was finally moving and getting ready for the day.

Bruce was ready to be Toni's rock today because not only had she lost her parents, but she had also lost Jarvis, whom was to her how Alfred was to Bruce. And Bruce couldn't even begin to imagine what could have happened to him if Alfred would not have been there after his parents were killed.

Bruce sighed and stepped into the shower with one additional thought entering his aching head. He was there for his friend, his only true friend, today, and he was going to be there for her for anything she needed him to be.

That's what best friends were for.

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It was almost like dejavu between the two of them, how this almost exact scene had happened ten years ago only it was reversed this time. As the two of them watched the caskets being lowered into the graves, Toni was stoick, having believed she cried it all out already. But when Bruce reached across the tiny gap between them and clasped her hand, it was too much for her as the tears that she had thought gone, began to flow freely.

Her grasp on his hand tightened to the point of Bruce almost losing all of the feeling in his hand. But it was worth it, she was worth all of the pain in the world to him, as long as she was safe, everything else would be alright.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Miss Stark, you have a phone call." Toni sighed and looked up from the engine she was trying to rebuild before she left for Afghanistan for a weapons demonstration. Pepper - her assitant - had just entered her lab when JARVIS, her AI, spoke up.

"Put them through, JARVIS."

Toni was handed her cellphone from the bench by Pepper and after wiping her hands on a towel, held it to her ear.

"Hello, this is Toni."

Then a familiar British voice came through. "Miss Stark? We've found him and I'm heading out in the Wayne jet to get him."

Toni collapsed onto her desk chair in relief, knowing immediately whom the British man was talking about. "Well, thank goodness! Alfred, you have him call me the very second you see him so that I can rip him a new one for putting gray hairs in my brown hair before I'm thirty."

Alfred chuckled, a sound that had been missing these past six years since his charge had disappeared. "Will do so, Miss Stark. I was wondering if we should expect you for dinner upon our arrival back home?"

Toni sighed and signed some documents that Pepper presented to her as she continued to speak to Alfred. "I wish, Alfred. But Obi is sending me to Afghanistan to do a weapons demonstration. I'm leaving Malibu soon and won't be back until the day after next. But I promise as soon as I get back stateside, I'm not heading to Malibu, I'm heading right towards Gotham, and when I get there, you better have some of your apple pie baking."

Alfred chuckled again, although his mind which had been relieved of worry after finding Master Bruce, was now consumed with worry for his other charge, even if she wouldn't accept him being it. He just had a bad feeling towards her safety.

"Will do so, Miss Stark. And may I suggest being careful and listening to that James Rhodey soldier you have told me about?"

Toni laughed as she grabbed her suitcase and walked out the door to where Happy, her driver, was waiting.

"Thank you for the advice, my friend, but we both know that I'm not very good at following orders at the best of times."

"I've noticed. That's probably why Master Bruce and yourself have gotten along so well over the years."

Toni laughed again as Happy drove towards her private airfield and whwere her private jet was waiting for her. "Yeah, probably, Alfred. But anyway, I've gotta go. I'm on my way to the Starkjet right now."

"Of course, Miss Stark. And I'll have Master Bruce call you as soon as he gets on the jet."

Toni smiled softly. "Thank you, Alfred… Bring our man home."

They hung up and Toni looked out the car window to the outside world and couldn't help but smile.

"Everything alright, Miss Stark?" Happy asked, having not seen his employer look so peaceful as she did at that moment. Toni turned her head to meet his eyes in the mirror.

"Everything is more then okay, Happy. It is fantastic, is what it is. He's coming home, Happy."

Happy became puzzled. He didn't know whom Toni was talking about. "Who?"

"My best friend, Happy, my best friend Bruce is coming home."

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Toni's phone rang as she was getting into the 'Funvee' as she called it. She smiled at the watching soldiers and answered it.

"This is Toni."

A hoarse, but familiar voice came through. "Hello, Toni."

Toni felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes. "Hello, Bruce. God, it's good to hear your voice, my friend."

Bruce chuckled as he sat across from Alfred on the plane as he drank a shake that Alfred had made for him to help him to recover some nutrients that he needed to regain some weight.

"It's good to hear you too. Alfred told me that you're somewhere in Afghanastan doing a weapons demonstration?"

Toni snorted. "Yeah, it was just the Jericho missile that I designed a few months ago…. Oh wait, you would know nothing about it since you've been assumed dead for the past six years."

Bruce winced and noticed Alfred's barely concealed smile, telling Bruce that he heard Toni's words.

"Yeah, I know, Toni. And when you come to Gotham, I'll tell you all about what happened… I never planned on being gone six years, or cutting off all contact from my best friend. Do you forgive me, my friend?"

There was silence on his friend's side of the line and he could barely hear the quiet murmurs of the soldiers and the quiet hum of the Humvee she was in.

"We'll see about that… You know what would go a long way of me forgiving you?"

Bruce smirked, knowing exactly what she was hinting at. "So, your favorite Tequila is running low again and you need me to resupply you?"

Toni laughed. "Yes, yes you do. You know how it is, us multibillionaires have to get our multibillionaire friends to buy us alcohol. Especially if it is Tequila Ley .925, and especially if it is meant to help smooth out an apology."

Bruce laughed as well. "Okay, okay. I'll order you a bottle of it when I get back to Gotham and I'll have it waiting for you when you come and see me, alright?"

"Alr-" Suddenly, there was a loud explosion heard through the phone and a scream from Toni as she dropped her phone.

"Toni! Toni! Answer me! What's happening?!" Bruce shouted, feeling panic begin to consume him. Alfred was leaning forward in concern.

There was no answer from any human, but there were several explosions, screams, and gunshots heard, however muffled they were.

Then Bruce heard Toni's voice and heard the sound of the phone being picked up and placed in a pocket. "Wait! Give me a gun!"

Then a door slamming and several sounds of gunfire sounded.

Toni began to breathe heavily in a slight panic but she knew that she was going to have to move as she was a sitting duck in a warzone.

Toni raced out of the Humvee and towards some large rocks a slight distance away from the battle going on behind her.

She fell onto her back behind one of the rocks and grabbed her phone and pulled it out, and saw that she still had a call in progress with Bruce.

"BRUCE!" Toni screamed through the phone.

"Toni! Are you okay? What's happening?"

"We're under attack, all of the soldiers that were with me are either dead or extremely wounded… I don't know where Rhodey is… Bruce, you've gotta do me a favor if I don't make it out of here alive."

"Toni, don't say things like that. You're going to be okay." Toni, whom had just seen a small missile that she had designed just land a slight distance away from her, knew that her chance of survival was now very slim.

"Bruce, there is a very slim chance that I won't make it out of here. There is a small missile that I designed that just landed next to me and it is about to go off. Bruce, since there is a small chance of me not getting outta here, I wanted to tell you that I lo-"

There was a loud explosion and then there was nothing as the phone was destroyed. And Bruce felt like his heart just got ripped out of his chest, and he couldn't help but hope that the words she had begun to say, were the words he could never have the courage to say.

And he also knew that as soon as he got home, he was going to find out what happened in Afghanastan and he was going to find Toni, he refused to believe that their little five minute conversation was going to be their reunion after all these years. He was going to find her, and get revenge on whom ever wanted to kill her. He was her knight and she was his light.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 **A/N: I know this isn't apart of this story, but I found this really good recipe for blue chocolate chip cookies that I wanted to share with you all! Enjoy!** **blue-velvet-white-chocolate-chip-cookies/**

 _Gotham, three months later_

"This just in it seems that reports are coming in about a humanoid bat figure beating up people causing trouble and harm to others. The people that he saves are calling him a hero, but the police are calling him a vigilante and a menace." the newsreporter said but he was interrupted when another newsreporter raced into room.

"Wait a minute, Gordon, what I have to say that has just been reported is breaking news." Bruce, watching the news and drinking a cup of coffee, leaned back in his chair, interested. He had just taken a sip of his coffee when the female reporter spoke. "Toni Stark, owner to Stark Industries, has been found and is coming home!" Bruce choked on his mouthful of coffee and as he coughed, the reporter announced that there was going to be a press confrence at the Malibu Stark Industries branch.

"Alfred! Call the pilot and tell him to get ready to fly in an hour."

Alfred poked his head around the corner. "And where should I tell him to set course to, sir?"

"Malibu, Alfred. They've found her."

Alfred smiled and left to do as he was told to. Master Bruce had had many sleepless nights between his nightly activities and between searching for Miss Toni.

Bruce went into his room and put on a suit and then grabbed the one thing he promised to get Toni from his liquer cabinet and then he was on his way to the car that Alfred had pulled up to the door.

 _I'm coming, Toni, and hopefully you'll finish that sentence you started three months ago._

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 _Malibu_

Toni walked into the press confrence with a McDonalds bag filled with bacon cheeseburgers.

Everyone clapped as Obidiah waved and cheered, leading Toni up to the front.

Obidiah stood at the podium and the reporters immediately quieted down, not wanting to miss a single word. But instead of Toni being right up there next to him, Toni was sitting on the ground, her back leaning against the podium.

"Hey, would it be alright if everyone sat down? Will you sit down? That way you can see me, and I can…" All of the reporters began to slowly sit down. "A little less formal…"

Obi had sat down next to Toni, Toni looked over at him.

"Good to see you." Toni said softly.

Obi clasped her unhurt shoulder and squeezed. "Good to see you."

"I never got to say goodbye to dad. I never got to say goodbye to my father… There's questions that I would've asked him. I would've asked him how he felt about what his company did… if he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts. Or maybe he was every inch of a man we all remember from the newsreels. I saw young Americans killed… by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them. And I saw that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero-accountability." Toni said, pausing. Immediately there was a low buzz of talking as reporters tried to capture Toni's attention.

Toni nodded at a male reporter.

"What happened over there?"

"I had my eyes opened. I came to realize that I have more to offer this world than just making things that blow up."

Toni's biggest fan watched as she stood up and walked around to the podium.

"And that is why, effective immediately, I'm shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International." There was an immediate uproar as the reporters and Obi stood up, trying to get their voices heard and for Obi to do damage control. Toni just kept going. "Until such a time, as I can decide what the future of this company will be, what direction it should take, the one I'm comfortable with, and is consistant with the highest good of this country and the world."

Just when Obi tried to cut in and regain control of the situation, the crowd of reporters were being pushed to the side as a tall, broad shouldered black haired, blue eyed man walked towards where Toni and Obi were arguing quietly with each other. The reporters were starting to quiet one room at a time as they began to realize whom this man was and they began to whisper amongst themselves.

The sudden quietness of the room caused the arguing between Obi and Toni to trail off and to draw their attention onto the man that was standing just in front of them.

While Obi tried to remember how he knew this man, Toni had no problem remembering.

With a choked cry of "Bruce!" Toni had raced off the stage and into Bruce's arms, whom was careful with her injured one but hugged her just as tightly as she was hugging him.

They were by each other's sides again, and no one was going to separate them again.

"Hello, Toni." Bruce whispered in her ear. "Why don't we get out of here? I've got a concerned British butler outside waiting to see you with his own eyes."

Toni let out a strangled laugh and nodded from where her head was buried against his chest.

Bruce then began to lead her out of the press confrence with an arm around her waist and with her head still buried slightly against his body and her uninjured arm curled around his.

"I'm glad your here…" Toni paused and said something so softly that Bruce almost didn't catch it as the reporters had started an uproar again as Obi took the podium. "You certainly don't look like a humanoid bat though."

Only Bruce's extensive training with Ducard all those months ago kept his face passive and kept him from stumbling over his suddenly two left feet.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Toni."

Toni sighed and rolled her eyes. "Bruce, as soon as I got in reach of a phone, I looked up everything that had been going on in Gotham, and most recently these newsreports of a 'bat man' have been released… and they all started not even a month after you returned to Gotham. And all that 'tech' that the man of bats is supposed to have is pretty unique and expensive… And some of it can be found in a Mr. Fox's department whom you visit right before the giant man bat gets some new gadget… which happens to have just been developed in Mr. Fox's department."

Bruce just stopped walking towards where Alfred was waiting for them and stared at his best friend.

She raised an eyebrow and smirked at him, pointing to herself. "Certified genius, remember?"

Bruce finally threw his head back and laughed loudly. Leave it to his best friend to learn one of his two best kept secrets in a matter of hours, and especially after being held captive in Afghanistan for three months. His best friend had figured it out, while the Gotham City Police Department was still having trouble trying to prove that there was a vigilante saving the people of Gotham.

Bruce looked back into her familiar brown eyes and smiled softly down at her, her returning his smile. "I've missed you, Toni… And your ability to ferret out almost _all_ of my secrets over the years."

Bruce walked ahead as Toni paused, thinking over what he said. Her head jerked up as she realized it. "Wait! You have a secret that I don't know? How the h*ll did that happen?"

She moved forward but was distracted as she caught sight of Alfred.

"Alfred! Oh, it is so good to see you!" Toni exclaimed, moving forward and hugging the reserved old butler who didn't hesitate to return her hug.

"It is good to see you as well, Miss Stark," Alfred said.

They were interrupted by Bruce whom had caught a glimpse of something glowing blue beneath her white blouse. "Toni, what is that?"

Toni looked at her friend, confused. "What is what?"

"That glowing thing in your chest." Bruce said. Toni's look of confusing turned into one of complete understanding.

"Not out here… Alfred, you mind giving us a ride to that building over there?" Toni asked, pointing to one of the larger buildings surrounding them.

Alfred shook his head and held the door of the car open for them to get in.

Bruce and Toni sat in silence as Alfred drove them to the large building, stopping just outside of the door.

"Thank you, Alfred. We'll only be a moment." Toni said softly, getting out before Alfred could even open her door and walking in, Bruce following on silent feet.

Bruce looked around his surroundings and saw a big blue glowing thing in the center of the room and surrounded by a fence and control panels.

"What is this?"

"This, Bruce, is the larger version of what is in my chest, keeping me alive. It is the Arc Reactor."

Bruce swung his gaze around and bore them into the side of her head at the 'keeping me alive' part.

"What do you mean, it is keeping you alive?"

"I mean, that when that missile went off beside me all those months ago, caused sharpnel and debris to enter my chest and every time I moved, it caused the sharpnel and debris to move closer to my heart and lungs. The man I was held captive with, Yinsen, gave a start of what I would build when I could stand on my own two feet, giving me a chance to live longer… Bruce, those weapons I saw those terrorists had, they were Stark Industries weapons, and they had basic blueprints to the Jericho missile that aren't even released to the government."

Bruce began to get what Toni was not saying. "You think someone is dealing under the table and that someone hired those terrorists to attack your convoy?"

Toni nodded silently.

"And you shut down production for weapons development to figure out who it is."

Toni nodded again and her eyes pierced Bruce as she looked at him. "And I've also got an idea to make sure that something like this never happens again."

"What are you going to do?"

Toni grinned slightly. "You're not the only one that always wanted to be a superhero, Bruce."

Bruce's eyes widened but before he could pull out his inner Batman and interrogate her, they were interrupted.

Obi had a cigar in his mouth as he put his hands on his hips and stared at the two of them. But most of his attention was centered on Toni.

"Well, that… That went well."

Toni looked away. "Did I just paint a target on the back of my head?" Toni asked.

Obi walked towards him. "Your head? What about my head? What do you think the over-under on the stock drop is gonna be tomorrow?"

Bruce decided to pipe up, to let Obi know that he was there and that he wasn't going to leave, even though Obi had sent a glare at him whenever Toni wasn't looking, sending Bruce the signal to leave. But Bruce wasn't leaving Toni in Obidaih's company alone.

"Optimistically, 40 points." Bruce said.

Toni turned his head and nodded to him in agreement. Obi stood back and looked between the two of them.

"At minimum."

Toni unbuttoned her jacket over her white shirt and placed it on the railing besides Bruce's suit jacket. "Yep." Toni said, agreeing with Obi's statement.

"Toni, Mr. Wayne, we're a weapons manufacturer."

"Obi, I, just don't want a body count to be my only legacy." Toni said.

"That's what we do. We're iron mongers. We make weapons."

"But we don't have to make weapons, Obi, that is what Toni is trying to say."

The two turned their attention onto Bruce for a second before Obi returned his attention back onto Toni.

Obi sighed.

"It's my name on the side of the building."

"What we do keeps the world from falling into chaos."

Toni rolled her eyes. It was like Obi hadn't heard her.

Toni stood, staring directly into Obi's eyes. "Not based on what I saw. We're not doing a good enough job. We can do better. We're gonna do something else."

"Like what?" Obi immediately pounced. "You want us to make baby bottles?"

"Why don't you leave what we are going to be doing to me. After all, I own anything that has Stark on it, so let me make the decisions about my company. Bruce, let's go. I haven't been able to hang out with you in years."

Toni smirked at Bruce. Her attention no longer on Obi, but Bruce could see Obi glare at him when Toni's attention was turned onto himself.

"Yea, let's go… And Obi, I agree with Toni. Let her worry about what she is going to be doing with her company."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

They got into Bruce's car and after she gave Alfred the address to her Malibu home, they were on their way.

The two friends sat in silence. Finally, Bruce spoke.

"Are you going to explain?"

Toni sent him a small smile.

"About?"

"You said that you weren't the only one wanting to be a hero when we were younger. You know my secret, Toni, but I haven't even begun to unravel yours."

Toni's smile slipt from her face as she sighed deeply, turning in her seat so that her back was resting against the door and her front was facing Bruce.

She reached up to her collar and began to slowly unbutton it, Bruce's face remaining blank and his eyes locked on her's, not looking down until she stopped and held the shirt apart for him to finally see the thing that was keeping her alive.

"I built this in a dimly lit cave with a scientist named Yinsen. And it wasn't the only thing I built there, Bruce." Toni said softly. Bruce didn't speak, instead just observing her and the expressions going over her face.

After she rebuttoned her shirt and began to fiddle with her hands in her lap, Bruce reached over and covered her hands with a large tanned one, which caused her to look up at him.

"Whatever you did in that cave, whatever you saw, whatever you do now, I want you to know that I am behind you, Toni, 100%."

Toni smiled at him.

"I'm glad our parents forced us to become friends all those years ago."

"I'm glad you built me Maximus the III as a gift… I really liked having him around when I was younger."

Toni laughed at the thought of the robotic dogs she had built before she built Dum-E, U, and Butterfingers. And eventually JARVIS.

"What? Do you have more robotic dogs that I haven't met yet?"

Toni shook her head. "Oh no, Bruce. I in fact have upgraded from robotic _dogs_ and moved onto to things much more advanced."

Bruce grew puzzled. "Like what?"

Toni smirked. "Oh, you'll see and you will learn to worship me like the goddess I know I am."

Bruce snorted and rolled his eyes at his friend. "Really? I pretty much doubt that."

Toni began to notice the familiar surroundings and felt the car begin to slow down.

"Oh, we shall see very soon, Brucie-Poo."

Bruce was about to shoot a remark back at Miss Snark when the car stopped and Alfred opened Toni's door.

Luckily she had seen him coming and had returned to the correct position in riding in a car when Alfred opened it or else she would have tumbled out and hit her head on the ground.

"Thank you, Alfred."

"You're welcome, Miss Stark."

They walked up to the front door which Toni opened with her keys that Pepper had given her before the press confrence.

As they walked in, Bruce and Alfred began to notice lights and other electronics coming on as they walked through Toni's home. When they stepped into the living room, the two men almost jumped out of their skin but they held on to their composure and instead just looked slightly surprised.

"Welcome back, Miss Stark. It's good to have you home." said a computerized British male voice. Toni smiled at the familiar voice.

"It's good to be home. Bruce, Alfred, I would like you to meet JARVIS, my A.I. JARVIS, this is Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth."

"It is nice to meet you all. Miss Stark, you have beings in your lab whom are anxious to see you live and well."

Toni smiled widely, knowing who exactly JARVIS was talking about. "Thank you, JARVIS. And I assume you recieved my files from the plane that I sent you on my way home?"

"Yes, miss, I did. Would you like me to have them pulled up?"

The two humans had begun to walk towards a set of stairs as Toni and JARVIS had talked. Alfred had elected to stay behind and was directed towards the kitchen to prepare dinner for the three of them.

"Yes, and make sure you store everything on my private server and triple encrypt it."

"As you wish."

They entered a lab slash garage as part of the room had several large cars and a dark tunnel that preumably led to the outside.

"So, Toni, you built an artificial intelligence system?" Bruce asked, awed.

"Actually, I created five, three of which aren't that advanced. Bruce, I would like you to meet Butterfingers, Dum-E, and U."

The three machines had appeared from the depths of the lab and had greeted Toni with beeps and clicks before moving on to greeting Bruce less enthusiastically then they had greeted Toni.

Bruce smiled and watched as Toni pulled something up on her 3D interactive projector.

Then he thought about what she had said. "Wait, you said five, but I've only met four."

Toni paused and looked at him over her shoulder. "Oh, that's because I haven't named him yet… And because he is actually on this flashdrive just waiting to be activated." Toni had pulled a flash drive out of her desk and handed it to Bruce.

He examined it. "Such a small device, but the thing on it is very powerful." He commented, reaching forward to hand it back to Toni.

"Ah, no. He's all yours, Bruce."

"What?"

"Yeah, I created the very base of him a month before you disappeared in Europe and I've only been developing him and making his coding just as complex as JARVIS over the past six years hoping to give him to you when you returned. He's yours now. I'm sure he'll be very useful with your crusade and also helping Alfred keep an eye on you, just like how JARVIS takes care of me and will keeping an eye on me during my new mission in life."

Bruce hesitated but eventually put the flash drive into his pants pocket.

As he did so, he couldn't help but smirk, which Toni saw.

"What?"

"It seems you are always giving me something to keep me safe."

Toni smiled softly down at her work as she began to bring up her invention she built with Yinsen in order to bust out of the cave.

"Well, I can't have my best friend getting killed, now can I? Otherwise, whom else would know me so well as to bring me my favorite tequila even after I've been gone for months?"

Bruce laughed. "And whom else besides you would be able to afford it?" Toni joined in his laughter.

Then Bruce focused on what she was doing. "What is that?"

"Well, Batsy, this is what I used to bust out of that cave. And this," Toni said, pointing towards a circular device that looked like her arc reactor. "is going to be the more improved arc reactor as the one I have right now doesn't have as much power."

Bruce's eyes widened, knowing that if the arc reactor in her chest stopped working, then she could die. "Well get started then Miss Stark. As I'll go upstairs and drink some of that lovely tequila I can hear calling my name."

Toni sighed and muttered, "Bastard" under her breath.

Bruce threw a grin over his shoulder at her, "You know it!" and disappeared up the stairs.

Toni returned her attention back to the three robots in front of her and got her thoughts on track on what she would need to do. "Alright, guys, it's time to get to work. And now breaks or slacking off today. We've got a deadline."

Bruce whom had paused on the steps, heard her words and shook his head fondly. She was going to be the death of him someday.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Toni had been in her lab for three straight days, only leaving to use the restroom. It was only through the combined efforts of Alfred, Bruce, and JARVIS that they were able to keep Toni fed and watered.

On the fourth day with no sleep, Bruce went down the stairs into Toni's lab to see her hooked up to several monitors and laying on a bed that had her angled so that she was half way sitting upright.

"You called?" Bruce asked, his voice sending faint shivers down Toni's back.

Toni looked over at Bruce and nodded. "Yeah, I did. How big are your hands?"

Bruce looked down at her puzzled as he came to stand beside her. "What?"

"Show me your hands. I need to know what size your hands are."

Bruce sighed but held up his hands. Toni groaned as soon as she saw them though. They were too big for what she needed.

She set her head back and looked up at the ceiling. "JARVIS, patch me through to Pepper, please. I'm pretty sure she is in the house somewhere."

"Right away, Miss."

"Toni, what's going on?" Bruce asked, but Toni ignored him as she began talking to Pepper.

"Pepper. How big are your hands?"

"What?"

"How big are your hands?" Toni repeated.

"I don't understand why…" Pepper said.

"Get down here. I need you." Toni said. She turned her attention onto Bruce. "Is it really that weird of a question to ask how big your hands are?"

"Yes."

Toni scoffed and rolled her eyes. "It's not like I asked what size shoe you wear… which by your 'toys' - most likely isn't a very high shoe size. I think you're compensating for something."

Bruce felt himself choke on his own saliva at her words but before he could say that he had a large shoe size and he wasn't compensating for _anything_ of the sort, Pepper walked into the lab.

"Let's see them. Show me your hands." Pepper held her hands up as she drew closer to them, and stopped on the other side of Toni and across from Bruce. "Oh, wow. They are small. Very petite, indeed." Toni looked down at the newly built arc reactor that had been in her hands the whole time, the reactor shining brightly in the lab. "I just need your help for a sec."

Pepper shot a confused look at Bruce before turning her attention back to Toni. "And Bruce can't help because…?"

"His hands are way too big… unlike his shoe size. Your's is the right size that I need." Pepper sighed and chanced another glance at Bruce who rolled his eyes at Pepper.

Then Pepper took a closer look of the thing in Toni's chest. "Oh, my God, is that the thing that's keeping you alive?"

"It was. It is now an antique. This is what will be keepingme alive for the foreseeable future. I'm swapping it out for an upgrade. The old one just ran into a little speed bump."

"Speed bump?" Bruce interrupted, causing Toni to look over at him to elaborate. "What's wrong with it?"

Toni smiled slightly at Bruce's concern. "Nothing. There's just a little snag, Bruce." She then moved to pull out the current arc reactor in her chest. "There's just an exposed wire under this device and it's touching the socket wall which causes a little bit of a short."

She pulled the old arc reactor out the rest of the way and put it on the little table beside her. Her actions causing alarm to race through the two people in the lab with her.

"Wh-what do you want me to do?" Pepper stuttered, not understanding why she was there.

"I just need you to reach in, and you're just gonna gently life the wire out."

Pepper and Bruce exchanged glances as they both peered down at the hole left in her chest. Pepper was clearly not liking the idea at all. "Is it safe?"

"Yep." She said, even though she knew that it wasn't. And judging by the look Bruce shot her, he knew it wasn't safe either. "It's gonna be fine. It's like Operation. Just don't let it touch the socket wall or it goes 'beep'."

Pepper looked at her blankly. She had no idea what her boss was telling her. "What do you mean, 'Operation'?"

Toni groaned inwardly. This was taking too long. "It's just a game… never mind. Just gently life the wire."

She slowly moved to her chest as Bruce watched everything closely but she started to have second thoughts and moved her hand away. "You know, I don't think I'm qualified to do this."

"No," she told her quickly, trying to reassure her. "You're one of three of the most capable, qualified, trustworthy person I've ever met."

There was a pause as Toni looked at Bruce and Pepper, two of the three people that she trusted most in the world.

Pepper paused to think over Toni's words. "Wait, you said three… if Bruce and I are two of them, whose the third?"

Toni smiled slightly as she remembered her other friend. "Ah, him I meet a year after Brucie here disappeared. Strangely enough, he's a reporter for the Metropolis Daily Planet."

"What's his name?" Bruce couldn't help but ask.

"Clark Kent."

Toni then turned to the matter at hand. "Pepper, is it too much of a problem to ask because…"

Pepper cut her off, shaking her hands out. "Okay, okay."

"I really need your help here."

She took a deep breath and began to reach her hand down in his chest. "Oh," She squeaked out with a disgusted look on her face. "There's pus!"

Bruce remained straight faced, wishing that he could be the one that helped Toni at this moment.

"It's not pus. It's an inorganic plasmic discharge from the device. Not my body." Toni huffed out.

"It smells!"

"The copper wire." Toni said calmly.

"I got it!"

"Now," She began as she pulled it out. "Don't let it touch the sides when you're coming," right when she was beginning to say that, the wire hit the side and she screamed the last word "out!"

"Sorry. Sorry!" Pepper exclaimed.

Bruce just meerily clutched Toni's hand in one of his, allowing Toni to hold it as tight as she needed to as she fought through the pain to be able to speak again.

"That's what I was trying to tell you before. Okay, now make sure that when you pull it out, you don't pull out the magnet at-" She was cut off by Pepper doing the exact thing he was telling her not to. "The end of it. That was it!"

The machines hooked up to Toni began to go off like crazy.

"Oh god." Pepper whimpered out as she tried to put it back in."

"No! Don't put it back in!" Bruce exclaimed, breaking his silence.

"What do I do?!" Pepper yelled as she put the wire on the table next to her. She moved back to Toni, worried about her face of pain. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," She said casually. "I'm just going into cardiac arrest because you _yanked_ it out like a trout."

Bruce began to show the panic he had been feeling internally on his face. He wasn't a genius like Toni and didn't know what to do in this situation. Give him fighting thugs, mob bosses, any day of the week and he'll be fine. But watching as Toni's face twisted in pain was the most painful thing he had ever witnessed.

He was brought back out of his panicked thoughts when Pepper exclaimed: "What?! I thought you said this was safe?!"

"We gotta hurry." She said, handing her the new arc reactor.

"You gotta switch it out really quick." Toni told her.

"Okay. Toni, it's going to be okay. It's gonna be okay. I'm going to make this okay."

"Let's hope." Bruce and Toni mumbled under their breath, too low for the anyone to hear them. Once she put it in, she let out a shout, but it worked.

"Are you okay?" Bruce breathed out, the tension beginning to drain from his body as the machines around them started to go back to normal.

"Yeah, I feel great… Are you okay?" Toni asked, directing her question towards Pepper whom was freaking out still but her eyes were on Bruce. Bruce nodded slightly and kissed her forehead quickly to show that he was relieved that she was okay and that he was okay.

Their moment was interrupted when Pepper spoke.

"Don't ever, ever, ever, ever ask me to do anything like that ever again."

Toni smirked and sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, still clutching onto Bruce's hand.

"Thank you, Pepper."

Toni began to detach the wires hooked up to her body. Pepper, having calmed down and washed her hands, picked up the old reactor.

"What do you want to do with this?"

Toni looked over her shoulder to see what she was talking about.

"Throw it away," Toni said simply.

"You don't want to keep it?"

"Nah."

Pepper sighed but left the lab with the old arc reactor in her hands. Bruce stayed back as his eyes met Toni's.

"I know that didn't take you three days to make, Toni."

"Yes, you're right. It only took me a day to make this. The other two days, I've been redesigning my new project's blueprints and I've started building some of it already."

"You going to show me?"

Toni smirked. "Nah. I don't like showing my toys to others… especially when it is going to be cooler then their's."

Bruce chuckled but stepped forward and caged her in between his arms, causing their faces to be super close to each other and for them to stare into each other's eyes.

"I want you to know something that I've wanted to tell you for a while now."

"Yes?"

"I l-"

Bruce was cut off by JARVIS.

"Miss Stark, Mr Stane is asking for you."

Toni tore her eyes from Bruce's. "Okay, thank you, JARVIS. I'll be right… What were you going to say?"

"N-nothing. Forget about it."

"No, what were you going to say?"

"No, it's okay, Toni. I'm sure Obidiah wouldn't be here if it weren't important." Bruce backed up and leaned back against Toni's desk and crossed his arms as they stared at each other. Bruce smiled softly. "It's okay, Toni, go on."

Toni sighed but hopped off of the bed that she had been sitting on and walked out of the lab and up the stairs to see what Obi wanted.

Bruce sighed and rubbed his eyes. _Why was it so hard for him to tell Toni that he loved her without interruptions? Was the universe that much against them being together?_

He didn't know when Toni was going to be back but he knew that he wouldn't be able to say those three words when she came back down. He just needed to find the right time to do so…. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, a box that he had bought six years ago. Opening it, he couldn't help but hope that when the right time came, she would say yes.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The next day, Toni was up early and in the labg again.

"Okay, let's do this right." Toni said, walking into the middle of the garage where a tiled floor was. "Start mark half a meter back, and center."

She looked towards the camera that U was holding and took a deep breath. "Dummy you're on standby for firesafety. U, roll it… Okay, activate hand controls… Start out nice and easy, with 10% of thrust capacity. And 3… 2… 1."

She pressed down on the hand controls in her hands but the power had been too much and it caused her to flip and crash into the ceiling and onto the ground.

And immediately, Dummy started to spray the fire extinguisher at her.

She groaned. It was time for Plan B.

She got up and removed the boots and everything else she had on after a few minutes of just laying on the ground. Toni knew it was time to go back to the drawing board.

Toni began assembling the arms and before she knew it, Bruce was coming down the stairs, it having been several hours since Toni woke up.

"Pepper's been buzzing you. Didn't you hear the intercom?" Toni looked up at him, distracted.

"Uh, no, no I didn't. There something she needed?"

"Oh, Obadiah was here but he left when he saw that I was around."

Toni nodded, returning back to her work.

"So, this is the mysterious 'superhero' costume you're working on." Bruce said, his eyes scanning over what Toni was doing.

"Yep, it sure is."

They were interrupted by Pepper.

"Toni, you have a visitor."

"Tell them I'm busy."

"It's a Mister Clark Kent, if that makes any difference." Pepper said, turning to walk out of the lab. Toni paused in her work and glanced towards Bruce who shrugged.

"I don't know the guy. And besides, Alfred said it was time for you to have some brunch."

Toni sighed and looked towards Pepper whom was standing and waiting for her answer.

"Let Clark know that we'll be right up, will ya, Pep?"

Pepper nodded and smiled, going back up the stairs.

Toni took her arm out of the robot arm and wiped her hands off. She began to walk out of her lab, Bruce following.

"You going to tell me what makes this Clark Kent so important?"

Toni shrugged, glancing over her shoulder at him with a smirk. "Oh, I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out in no time, Bruce."

They appeared in the living room to see a brown haired, blue eyed man sitting on the couch and drinking from the water that had been given to him by either Pepper or Alfred.

Pepper was standing in front of the man and talking to him but Toni interrupted them.

"Thank you, Pep. That'll be all for the evening." Pepper turned around and nodded her head, grabbing her purse and bag and walking out the door.

Toni was already smiling at the broad shouldered man.

"It's been awhile, Clark." Clark stood and hugged the female billionaire.

"It's good to see you alive and well, Toni." He turned his gaze onto Bruce and smiled widely. "And you must be Bruce Wayne! Toni has told me a lot about you."

Bruce examined the man as they shook hands, trying to figure out who the man truly was. He definitely was more then a reporter for the city of Metropolis, especially since Toni actually liked the guy.

Toni watched, amused, before turning her attention onto her friend. "So, Clark, what brings you to Malibu? It wouldn't have anything to do with Lex Luthor coming to town tomorrow now does it?"

"Luthor?" Bruce asked, knowing that Lex Luthor was an ex-billionaire turned criminal turned free man and also a for of Superman's, the hero of Metropolis.

"Oh, yeah. Clark's dislike for the man is super."

Then it clicked in Bruce's mind. He sighed. "Let me guess, you're Superman?"

Clark's jaw dropped and he turned accusing eyes onto Toni who shrugged. "Hey, just because he doesn't have an IQ as high as mine, doesn't mean that he isn't smart… He _is_ my best friend after all. He has to have some type of a brain."

Bruce didn't know if he should ake that as a compliment or an insult.

Clark groaned but turned back to Bruce and nodded in confirmation. Bruce sighed. "Well, since we all know you're identity, I figure it's only fair you know mine… I am Batman."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Clark gaped at Bruce. "W-What?"

Toni rolled her eyes. "Really, Clark. Is it really that much of a surprise?"

"Kind of. I mean, I believed you to be just a billionaire playboy who just randomly buys things when the mood suits you."

Bruce traded grins with Toni. "Nah. That is actually a billionaire thing to do, and what is expected of a billionaire." Bruce said simply.

"Clark, not that I don't mind you visiting, but why are you here?" Toni asked. Clark turned to her.

"Well, I saw on the news that you had been found and, even though I wanted to come and see how you were doing straight away, I decided to wait and let you rest for a while."

"Aw. Thanks, Clark."

Clark opened his mouth to speak when JARVIS spoke up.

"Miss, Mr Stane has entered the premises."

"Thanks, J. Why don't you guys head down to the lab and trade war stories until I can get rid of Obi and join you down there?"

The two heroes nodded and left, not leaving a moment too soon for Obi just came into the living room carrying a large pizza box.

"It went that bad, huh?" Toni said, leaning back in her seat on the couch at the sight of him.

"Just because I brought pizza back from New York doesn't mean it went bad." Obi said sitting across from her.

"Sure doesn't. Oh, boy." Toni muttered in reply.

"It would have gone better if you were there." Toni sent him an incredulous look.

"You told me to lay low. That's what I've been doing. I lay low, and you take care of all."

Obi rolled his eyes. "Hey, come on. In public. The press. This was a board of directors meeting."

Oh, this was serious. "This was a board of directors meeting?"

Obi nodded. "The board is claiming you have posttraumatic stress… They're filing an injunction."

Toni had stood up, walking to the windows overlooking the city. She turned at his last sentence.

"A what?" Toni couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"They want to lock you out."

She scoffed. "Why, 'cause the stocks dipped 40 points? We knew that was gonna happen."

"Fifty-six and a half." Obi corrected her.

"It doesn't matter." Gesturing between the two of them, she continued. "We own the controlling interest in the company."

"Toni, the board has rights, too. They're making the case that you and your new direction isn't in the company's best interest."

"I'm being responsible! That's a new direction for me, for the company. I mean, me on the company's behalf being responsible for the way that… This is great."

Toni and Obi stared at each other for a moment before Obi scoffed and rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Oh, come on, Toni! We're a weapons manufacturing company, have been since the early 1900s. Toni…"

She had had enough. It was her company, her family's name on the building. "I'll be in the shop."

"Hey, hey! Hey, Tony. Listen. I'm trying to turn this thing around, but you gotta give me something. Something to pitch them." He pointed in the direction of where the arc reactor sat in her chest. "Let me have the engineers analyze that. You know, draw up some specs."

Toni was already shaking her head. "No. No, absolutely not."

Obi tried again. "It'll give me a bone to throw the boys in New York!"

"Obi, I have said it already and I will say it again. This one stays with me. No one else is getting a piece of this technology until I know that it will be put to good use, and not be used to cause death and mayhem to others. So forget it, Obi."

Obi was silent for a moment before picking up the pizza box again, just as Toni was going to grab a piece. "All right, well, this stays with me, then." Toni surpressed an eye roll. Then Obi opened the box towards her. "Go on, here, you can have a piece. Take two."

She actually took three and started carrying them towards her lab. "Thanks!"

Toni sighed as she walked into the lab, handing a piece of pizza to each one of the heroes in there and keeping one for herself.

They all ate in silence. "I've gotta figure out whose dealing dirty under the table at Stark Industries or what I'm creating won't make that much of a difference… But first, I've gotta finish this. Clark, Bruce, do you two want to see what I'm working on?"

"Really?" Bruce asked, turning towards her with an eyebrow raised.

"Well, it's not like the two of you are going to go on live tv and tell the world that I'm building a suit of armor in order to become a superhero, just in the fear that I would do the same to both of you."

The two heroes nodded in agreement and came over to join her, examining the blueprints.

"You're serious about this?"

"Yep."

"Well, I guess there is one thing we need to know." Bruce said, trading looks with Clark.

Toni quirked an eyebrow at them. "Where do we start?"

"Elementary, my fellow heroes."


End file.
